Church building collapses in Nigeria, 22 killed

Abuja, Apr 8: A church building collapsed in a northern Nigerian state, killing 22 worshipers and injuring 31 others on a tragic Easter day that also saw two car bombs claim several lives near a church.

Cletus Akwaya, the government spokesman of the Benue state where the building collapsed, said the incident may not be linked to any terrorist attack. He said there was a heavy downpour before the building of St Robert's Catholic Church located in Adamgbe area of the state caved in. The injured were taken to a government hospital nearby.

The building had more than 3,000 worshipers who were initially holding an outdoor service before a heavy downpour followed by storm led them in. Fourteen women and six children were among the dead, Akwaya said, adding that the roof of the building was blown off by the wind.

Violent storms and flooding is often associated with the rainy season in Nigeria which witnesses heavy downpour across the country. At least 50 people were feared killed in two car bomb explosions near a church during Easter Sunday services in another northern Nigerian city of Kaduna.